This paper was presented to the St Ignatius Christian Life Community [CLC], one of the thousands of CLC cell-groups in all five continents. The St Ignatius CLC is the oldest such group in Zambia. The current members of the group go back over 30 years of belonging to the community. While preparing to deliver this paper via Zoom on 29 November 2020, it occured to me that for members of Christian Life Community who wish to understand “The Spirit of Fratelli Tutti,” they need not look further than the ethos and spirituality of CLC. I challenged members of CLC to ask themselves: how can CLC help us to live out the Spirit of Fratelli Tutti? I reminded the participants that the number of Papal Encyclicals since the modern era is staggering. From the papacy of Pope Benedict XIV (1740–1758), to the papacy of Pope Francis, it is estimated that 299 encyclicals have been churned in the modern era but it looks like most of them ended on shelves in presbyteries around the world and did not reach the ordinary Christian in the pew. There may have been many reasons for that such as the pyramidal structure of the Church which saw the Church through the lens of the clergy. I feared that this may be the way of Fratelli Tutti if we did not do anything about it. That is why this Zoom conference was important and in many ways. It was something of a first — it was organised by lay people and delivered by a lay person. I challenged participants to go back to their families, neighbourhoods, parishes, Small Christian Communities, country, continent and even planet to ask, “What does Fratelli Tutti mean for my family, neighbourhood, parish, Small Christian Community, country, continent and even planet?”
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- A Brief Summary of the Ethos of CLC
- A Papal Encyclical and Why it is Important
- A Whistle-Stop Tour of the Eight Chapters of Fratelli Tutti
- Chapter 1: Dark Clouds over a Closed World
- Chapter 2: A stranger on the road
- Chapter 3: Envisaging and engendering an open world
- Chapter 4: A heart open to the whole world
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper explores the significance of Pope Francis' encyclical "Fratelli Tutti" in light of the ethos of the Christian Life Community (CLC). It aims to highlight how CLC can serve as a living example of the "Spirit of Fratelli Tutti" and guide us in embracing its message of human fraternity and social friendship.
- The importance of fraternity and social friendship in a world facing challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and social fragmentation.
- The relevance of the Ignatian ethos of CLC to the principles outlined in "Fratelli Tutti."
- The call to embrace a spirit of inclusivity, solidarity, and compassion for the marginalized and suffering.
- The need for a global commitment to dialogue, reconciliation, and cooperation.
- The role of religion in fostering fraternity and promoting peace in the world.
Chapter Summaries
The first chapter of "Fratelli Tutti" presents a bleak picture of a world plagued by social ills and the loss of meaning in community. The second chapter, drawing inspiration from the parable of the Good Samaritan, urges us to embrace the concept of "neighborliness" by overcoming prejudices and barriers to build a more inclusive and caring society. The third chapter encourages us to move beyond our self-interests and embrace an open world that welcomes migrants and refugees, who are often victims of conflict, persecution, and poverty. The fourth chapter further explores the principles of an open world and emphasizes the importance of welcoming, protecting, supporting, and integrating migrants and refugees.
Keywords
The key concepts explored in this text include "Fratelli Tutti," "fraternity," "social friendship," "Christian Life Community," "Ignatian ethos," "inclusivity," "solidarity," "migrants," "refugees," "justice," "peace," "dialogue," and "reconciliation." It examines the convergence of these themes as they relate to the contemporary challenges faced by the world, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Dr. Tarcisius Mukuka (Autor:in), 2020, Christian Life Community and the Spirit of "Fratelli Tutti". On Fraternity and Social Friendship, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/965277
